


(un)Learned Behavior

by Lulu Armandi (urusai_lilania)



Category: Fruits Basket, Fruits Basket (Anime 2019), Fruits Basket - Takaya Natsuki (Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arguing, Awkward Crush, Awkward Flirting, Awkward Romance, Awkwardness, Breakfast, Curses, Don't copy to another site, Dysfunctional Family, Dysfunctional Relationships, Eating Disorders, Eggs, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Explicit Language, Fairy Tale Curses, Gen, Genderqueer Character, Laughter, Living Together, Major Original Character(s), Nonbinary Character, Original Character(s), Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Power of Words, Queer Character, Queer Themes, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2020-01-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:14:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21899491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/urusai_lilania/pseuds/Lulu%20Armandi
Summary: A bored Shigure Soma is troublesome to any and everyone around him. Recently, he's been a bit of a father or older brother figure to three charges inside his home, and watching those awkward teens can be pretty entertaining. Why not throw some more awkward into the already boiling pot? Enter Kuma and Hinata Soma into the equation, and turn up the heat.
Comments: 4





	1. Early Morning Favors

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DragonChilde](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonChilde/gifts).



> Okay, so I don't normally have really substantial author notes, but this is a majorly different sort of fic for me! This is my first time posting anything involving original characters, so I went ahead and made a new pseud for that purpose. It's a gift-fic for my anime fluffnommer Chibi. We both have really enjoyed Fruits Basket over the last near-two decades (ow!), but take serious issue with some of it. This story is basically a "what if these two potential non-binary Somas were interwoven into the early plot?" So consider this an OC+divergent story. Some pairings will stay intact, but we've decided to fool around with just about everyone. I'll try to keep characters as IN-character as possible, and do the utmost respect to Aku (agender) and Hinata (genderfluid) as possible! If you're curious about my main pseud, it's urusai_lilania! Cheers and thanks for even poking your head in here! :) Oh, and btw, I update tags as they become relevant, so more characters and such WILL appear soon!

Riiiing. Riiiing.

In the tiny apartment, a light turned on. “Who the hell is calling at this hour?” he grumbled, blearily rubbing the sleep from his eyes and shuffling to the phone. “Hello? Who is speaking?” His words were polite, but the tone fell off a cliff of kindness somewhere into a vast ocean of annoyance. Hinata Soma rather liked his sleep.

“Ho ho ho! If it isn’t little Hina-chan! What a surprise!”

“Don’t give me that. _You_ called here, Shigure. Why.” The ocean had suddenly frozen solid.

It’d been a while, but his dear little Hina-chan hadn’t suddenly become a bubbly ray of sunshine in his absence, Shigure Soma mused. Standing at his phone in the dark hallway, Shigure wagged his hand in the air and chuckled. “Oh, it’s nothing, really! I just realized, I haven’t seen my favorite niece in a while!”

Deadpanning, Hinata flatly said, “It’s three in the morning. And you don’t have a niece.” He blew a stray curl out of his face, wondering how long he could handle this conversation before hanging up and returning to bed. If it was just to chat…

“Nephew, whatever!”

“Shigure, Teddy isn’t your nephew.”

“Nonsense! Aku-chan has _always_ been my darling!”

“Sure, but you’re distant cousins at best. Stop hyperbolizing; save that for your agent.”

“Fine, spoilsport. Where _is_ Aku-chan? I honestly expected _them_ to answer. Sorry about that!”

Hinata sighed; he knew Shigure didn’t get out of the house often but the old mutt should at least know not to call anyone at this bloody hour. “Work.”

Gawking at the receiver in his hand, Shigure demanded, “ _At three in the morning?!_ ” He cringed; he’d been a bit too loud. There was a stirring coming from the den…

“Yes. Like usual.”

“Where on earth do they work?”

“Sorting garbage.”

“That’s horrible!”

The conversation had gone on long enough that Hinata was waking up, but he wouldn’t say he’d gotten over his annoyance. That was always when Shigure would strike. “Well, they do what they have to.”

“When do they get off work?”

“In an hour.”

“Perfect! I’ll send a car to pick you both up!”

And there it was. Eyebrow twitching, Hinata sighed into the receiver. “What nonsense is this, mutt?”

Shigure cradled his receiver with both hands against his ear and squirmed. “Spend the day with me here! Please?”

“No.”

“It’s not just _me_ anymore, these days. And if you tire of my company, you could always read through my library!”

Hinata tried his best not to roll his eyes; Shigure had a decent library, sure, but odds are the elder Soma would want Hinata to read through his latest draft. Still, hadn’t the mutt been sent to that home alone? “Someone else can put up with your nonsense? I find that hard to believe.”

“Of course! Yuki left the estate not so long ago to join me in the grand bachelor lifestyle, and even Kyo is here now too, you know. You wouldn’t _believe_ how much he’s grown! He’s not the little fluffball you remember!”

Narrowing his eyes, Hinata growled. “What do you _really_ want, Shigure?”

“Come on, what’s the harm? It’s free entertainment!”

“We’ll come. But only because Teddy needs it.”

Shigure held back a knowing snigger. “So noble!”

“Shut up.” Not bothering with goodbyes, Hinata hung up the phone. Sighing, he looked at the door to the apartment. At any rate, Kuma would be more than happy with this sudden development. Shaking his head, the redhead began gathering a set of clothes for both Kuma and him for the coming morning.

~~~

Kuma Soma liked excitement, and they adored their dear uncle. He wasn’t _really_ their uncle, of course, but it hardly mattered. Shigure had been there for them as a child and had earned the younger Soma’s eternal admiration. Kuma wasn’t allowed to live on the estate anymore due to a falling out with their parents, but Hinata had offered to take them in. They were distant cousins, somewhere in there, as it usually went with any Soma relative—at any rate, they were from the same clan. Hinata was two years older than them, but wasn’t actively attending secondary school. Kuma had recently opted to skip school in favor of working to help Hinata pay his bills.

Really, Hinata made more than enough money to keep their pantry and refrigerator stocked and cover the bills, but Kuma was persistent, if anything. If Hinata were honest, they’d rather Kuma come home from a job that was less smelly, but Kuma was so proud of themself for earning a meager wage and being able to contribute that Hinata left well enough alone. He knew what those beginning stages were like.

When Kuma came home from work, the driver hadn’t yet arrived. They were surprised to find Hinata awake, but Hinata merely shushed them and told them to go wash up. “We’re going on an adventure tonight,” he said, tossing a few curls over his shoulder.

“What’s the occasion?” Kuma called from the shower.

“Dress to impress?” Hinata said with a shrug. “I did laundry earlier, so your clean clothes are on your bed.”

Grinning, Kuma ducked into their corner of the room and climbed into something warm, if a little holey. Hinata was dressed elegantly as usual, regardless of the hour. He literally made a living based on how he dressed, so it was always to the nines. Kuma had only just begun buying themself clothes to replace the ones they’d worn on the estate—mostly from donation centers, despite Hinata’s protests. “Okay, now what?” they asked, toying with their streaked hair.

No good; the gesture attracted Hinata’s attention. He walked over and sniffed at Kuma’s hair. “Hrm. You still smell a bit. Unfortunate.”

“I can’t help it,” Kuma admitted with a wince. “Hair’s porous, you know?”

“Of course… You could always shave your head.”

“Really?!”

“It’s an option, yes.”

“Well… Then I wouldn’t have any green in my hair…” Kuma pouted, tugging harder at the dominant green streak they’d dyed into their black hair. They were taking as many steps to liberation as they could, short of outright rebelling against Hinata.

Hinata shook his head and smiled. “Nope.” A soft, rapid knocking at the door interrupted them. “Ah, she’s here.”

Grabbing their bag and staring curiously at the door, Kuma opened it wide. “Oh! Mit-chan?!” they cried, shocked. “What are _you_ doing here?”

Before them stood a tiny woman, dressed nice but professionally. She looked at the end of her rope. “Sensei asked me to escort you to his home…” the strung-out woman explained, a hand on her forehead. “And at this hour… I know novelists are abnormal, but why…? At any rate, he promised to turn in the next chapters right away if I did this! So come on, _please_! We have to hurry before he changes his mind!”

“Of course, Mitsuru-san,” Hinata said, chuckling. “We’ll be on our best behavior.”

For some reason, the phrase made Mitsuru look even more horrified than before.

~~~

The car ride was uneventful. Despite being quite panicky, Mitsuru was an extremely safe driver, and there was no traffic at such an early hour. She parked in her usual spot at the end of the property, allowing the two Somas to go ahead to “soften up” the author for her.

Kuma strode alongside Hinata up the flight of stairs leading to the front of the two-story home. “You’re pulling my chain. I haven’t seen Uncle Shigure in ages! Why’d he ask all of a sudden?”

Rolling his eyes, Hinata stepped towards the front door. “Why would I lie about the mutt? He’s not worth the energy.”

“Seriously? He just… suddenly wanted us to come?”

“He said he missed his ‘favorite niece’. And I certainly can’t speak for him more than that.”

Kuma couldn’t help but snigger. “Well, that certainly _sounds_ like him.”

“Of course. So cheer up already before I turn around and go home.”

“On it!” Kuma dashed forwards, twirling in a circle and throwing themself before the door. “Ding dong!” they cried, giving the door a good knock.

The door slid open to reveal the ever-robed Shigure, beaming brilliantly as he posed. “Aku-chan! Darling, you’ve come home at last!”

“Uncle Shigure is alive!” Kuma gasped dramatically.

Hinata smirked. “Well I’m chopped liver. As usual.”

Feigning ignorance at Hinata’s remark, Shigure waved his hand at the pair flippantly. “I made you both a place to get some rest before everything begins.”

Kuma blinked, staring into the living area at the pillows and comforter spread out. “Eh? What’s wrong with the bedrooms?”

“I’m sorry, but the spare rooms are currently, well, not-so-spare! You can sleep fine here, of course. I’ve done it myself plenty of times!”

Frowning, Hinata asked, “So you were serious about…?”

“Of course I was! And there’s Tohru, of course…”

“Tohru?”

“Ah, I suppose you wouldn’t have heard, hm… Yes, well, we have a lovely flower living with us now. My own personal maid, as it were! She’s an absolute darling!”

“ _Everyone’s_ a darling, coming from you,” Hinata groaned. “So you have an _actual_ female living under the same roof as you? Is she an insider?”

“She is and she isn’t!” he replied coyly. “She knows enough, but she’s no Soma.”

“Huh,” Kuma said, blinking. They… they weren’t quite sure how to respond to that. It was dangerous enough for a _Soma_ to know the secret, wasn’t it?

Shigure smiled darkly at the sudden dip in excitement his two guests had just suffered. Of course, no one seemed prepared to deal with the reality that was Tohru Honda. But soon enough, they would be able to sort out their feelings and decide one way or another! “Come in, come in… It’s freezing out here!”

“But… Shigure…” Hinata started. He reminded himself that he had to be diplomatic here, so he chose not to bring up Shigure’s regular involvement with Akito Soma, the far-from-darling head of the clan. Everyone present knew, really. It didn’t need to be said. The insidious pair were plotting. They were _always_ plotting, though Hinata never knew if it was in tandem or at odds with one another. Shigure was too shifty to be certain, and Akito… well, Hinata stayed as far as humanly possible from _that_ one.

Shigure stepped aside to wave them inside his home. “Either way, neither of you have anything to worry about since everyone’s on equal footing, right? So, just… get some rest, okay?”

Kuma looked as though they wanted to protest as they entered, but before they could speak, Mitsuru’s voice came from over their shoulder. “Sensei…”

“Oh, my…” Shigure pressed his hand to his lips and smiled broadly.

The desperate editor flew in behind the Somas and slipped off her shoes in one go. “The chapters! Do you have them? Please tell me you have them…!”

Calmly shutting the door behind her, Shigure laughed. “Mit-chan, how pleasant of you to grace me with your presence. I’d like some tea, please.”

“This is _your_ home!” she cried back, already exhausted. “…If I make you tea, you will retrieve the chapters?”

“Yes, yes, of course!”

Mitsuru fled for the kitchen immediately.

Kuma looked to Shigure. “Please?” they asked, smiling awkwardly. “She helped me…”

Shigure blinked for a moment, somewhat staring through Kuma. Finally, smiling as his eyes resettled on the younger Soma, he said, “Of course! I wouldn’t lie.”

“Then get the chapters,” Hinata sighed, putting down his things, wondering if he should get the prescribed rest before what was sure to be a boisterous morning. Shigure definitely had want of something.

The so-called “grown” man flipped both his hands palm-up, and turned to disappear into his office. Hinata turned to look at Kuma. They were looking around the home in fascination. “What is it?”

“I mean… I don’t remember it ever being this clean here…”

“Doesn’t smell so bad now, either, which I can appreciate,” Hinata admitted. “So even if the outsider thing was a lie, he definitely has someone cleaning…”

“I… don’t think it’s a lie,” Kuma replied warily, climbing down into their bedding with a yawn. “Uncle’s playing his game again.”

“You’re not wrong.”

“Mm.”

“Get some rest, Teddy. You’ll need it.”

“Okay.” Pulling their comforter over their head, Kuma disappeared from sight.

Hinata sighed. He could sleep, or he could read. Withdrawing his well-worn book and his reading glasses from his bag, he smiled. _Beauty & the Beast_, no matter how many times he’d read it, was still his favorite. Making himself a comfortable little nest out of his bedding, Hinata withdrew the pressed sunflower from the pages and disappeared as well, in his own fashion.

Morning would come; he couldn’t stop this. Whatever was truly waiting for them, they’d know soon enough. For now, it was time for a princess fantasy.

~~~

The faint sounds of pre-dawn resounded from outside the Soma home, pleasant but not particularly something that Kyo noticed as he moved about. He’d been living in Shigure’s den since moving in with his perverted elder cousin; the room was mostly his own personal space, minus some piles of books that had been left behind when they cleared the room for him. Getting dressed, the copper-haired teen stretched his arms and slid open his door to see about breakfast.

“Er… the hell?” Kyo froze mid-step, staring into the living room at the unexpected sight that greeted him.

“Morning, Kyo,” Hinata whispered, pointing a finger at her sleeping companion.

Kyo nodded, seeing the lump in the blankets. He waited as Hinata set her book aside and climbed to her feet, then made his way into the kitchen. Hinata followed, all the way berating herself for being so foolish as to come to Shigure’s on such a whim like this. Shigure had played her, knew the bait even after all this damn time. And while that was hardly out of character for the stupid dog, Hinata just hadn’t honestly expected it to be the _truth_!

“Hey, Hinata.”

Blinking, Hinata was startled from her thoughts to find Kyo leaning against the kitchen counter, staring at him. “Hm? What is it?”

For some reason Kyo hadn’t honestly thought this was happening. Hinata had left the Soma estate some time ago; why was she suddenly standing here as if she always had been? Kyo opened his mouth to say something, thought better of it, then in a fluster said, “N-nothing! Grah…” He ran his hands through his coppery hair in frustration, a particularly old habit.

Hinata smiled at the sight. Kyo Soma was still the awkward cat after all this time. “Go on and ask.”

“Why… Why’re _you_ suddenly back?” the embarrassed teen demanded, flushed. “You’ve been gone forever! Friggin’ _everyone’s_ been coming around lately! I don’t get it!”

Stretching her arms overhead, Hinata made a soft noise as her back straightened. “I don’t know; it seemed for the best, is all. Curiosity, maybe?” She tittered into her hand. “How are you doing here? I didn’t believe it when Shigure said you were here now. Last I heard, you’d taken off.”

Kyo scoffed. “Eh. It sucks having to see the damn rat every friggin’ morning.”

Hinata couldn’t help but smile. Yes, this was familiar, was it not? Despite everything fate had in store for Kyo, or _in spite of_ , he was still the Kyo Hinata had known before. “So that’s the worst of it then? That’s good. And you’re okay around the outsider?”

“That’s Tohru,” Kyo quickly corrected. “She’s a total airhead, but she’s kind and doesn’t get mad at me when… When…”

“When you overreact?” Hinata guessed. “Do you miss Shihan?” Hinata nearly bit her tongue to keep from adding how adorable it was all that time when Kyo would shadow his master’s every move. Kyo was easily flustered—though that was fairly cute, as well. It just wouldn’t do to play catch up all at once, as if this would never happen again…

“Hell _yeah_ I do! Shigure thinks _he’s_ some sort of adult, but you _know_ that’s bullshit! But, well, it’s not too bad.”

Something was changing, Hinata realized, startled. Kyo was not as intense and brash as he had been. There was plenty more endearing “buts” to his statements, statements that he would only half voice. …Which meant that eternal fear was still there, unfortunately. “Been keeping up with your training, at least?”

“Y-yeah.”

“That’s good.”

“…And you?”

“Hm?”

“Um…” Kyo’s cheeks were rosy and he looked away. “It’s nothing. I just realized I don’t even know what you were doing before to ask…” he grumbled to himself.

“You were young,” Hinata laughed softly. “I’m impressed you even remember me.”

“That’s—!” Kyo scowled at his feet.

He wanted to say something, Hinata knew, but she couldn’t guess what it was. Kyo held back a lot of things, afraid of how others could hurt him. Hinata never had any intention of hurting him, but telling Kyo that directly wasn’t smart either. The boy was sensitive, to say the least. It had everything to do with his situation.

Finally, Kyo had his follow-up. “You were young too, you know,” he grumbled. “You’re only a year older than me!”

Hinata giggled. It was true, of course, but back then, Kyo’s innocence had left a lasting impression on her, despite being so close in age. Kyo hadn’t understood the world around him, only that it was out to get him. The giggle clearly ruffled Kyo’s fur, because his blush grew and he scowled at the corner of the kitchen. “I wish I had kept going to the dojo. I’ve just got so much work to do…”

Ah, that helped the boy. Blinking, Kyo reconnected eye contact with Hinata and asked innocently, “You work now?”

Nodding, Hinata said, “I’m a waitress at a theme restaurant mostly, but I also work at a café some evenings. I’ve been debating looking into more work recently, too…”

“Theme… restaurant?” Kyo choked. This was familiar territory now, he realized as he tried to calm down. Hinata was always a bit different, wasn’t she? Kyo had a hard time understanding the elder Soma’s whims as a child. Like Momiji and Ritsu, Hinata dressed in all manner of clothing, most often feminine. And with that long, curly red hair… Kyo winced mentally. He’d gone a long time staring in fascination at the pretty girl that would visit the outside, only to find out once Hinata signed up with the dojo that the “pretty girl” was actually a boy—sometimes. And when Kyo had burst out his jumbled thoughts in heated confusion back then? Hinata had just… _smiled_. Giggled. It had made the redhead _happy,_ somehow. Sometimes they were a princess, other times a prince. Kyo couldn’t begin to understand, but… well, if Hinata was happy, then… “Hey, Hinata?”

“Yes?”

Before Kyo could find his words, a soft padding footfall came down the stairs. He exhaled sharply and turned to look expectantly at the doorway into the kitchen. “Oh, you’re up, Kyo!” Tohru Honda exclaimed, flashing a bright smile as she appeared. Then she caught sight of Hinata’s curious stare, and she grew wide-eyed. “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t know we had a guest!” she cried, waving her arms at her sides.

“Two, to be precise,” Hinata corrected, raising two fingers in the air. “Teddy is sleeping in the other room. I take it that fuzzball Yuki still isn’t a morning person?”

“Oh, no, he really isn’t…” the brunette admitted with a light laugh. “Would anyone be interested in breakfast?”

“Sure,” Kyo said, scratching his stomach absentmindedly. He’d totally forgotten to prepare his own meal with Hinata present.

“Would scrambled eggs be okay?”

“Certainly. I’ll go wake Teddy,” Hinata decided, departing the room.

“Kyo! You know her?” Tohru wondered, staring in fascination after Hinata.

“Yeah… Hinata and Kuma Soma,” he replied, frowning softly. “They’re inside. Or were.”

“Oh!” The brunette nodded fiercely. She understood the implication—their two guests knew the Soma family secret! So she didn’t have to tiptoe around them. That was a relief. When her friends Arisa Uotani and Saki Hanajima visited, it had been pretty hectic… “She looked about our age…?” Tohru wondered, grabbing the eggs from the fridge.

“Eh, yeah. Hinata is a year older. Aku’s a year younger.”

“A-Aku!?” she jumped, surprised.

Kyo smirked. “Aku was an ass when they were younger,” he elaborated. “It sort of stuck. Their real name is Kuma.”

“Oh my…” Tohru nodded. There was every kind of Soma, wasn’t there? “Hinata-chan is so gorgeous,” she added quietly, cheeks rosy. There were so many beautiful people in the Soma clan.

Kyo cast a sideways glance at his housemate. “Just so you know, Hinata’s a chick. For now, at least.”

“…For now?” Tohru wondered, blinking.

“She’s genderfluid. She has some tells, but for all I know she might’ve changed a lot since I last saw her.”

“What’s a tell?”

“Ehhh… like just now, she was pretty giggly. She reads a lot more and laughs more when she’s a girl, don’t ask me why. As a guy, it’s a little harder to notice, I guess. She’s always been super confident either way, though. But Hinata won’t get all bent out of shape if you get it wrong, so don’t panic, okay? That’ll just make her sad.”

“R-really?!” Tohru cried, nearly dropping the eggs.

“I mean, when we were little, she had this system. If I got it wrong, she’d just form a fist and point her thumb down,” Kyo confessed, reaching into the fridge for the milk. He was about to drink from it, only to remember that Tohru would want it for the eggs. “H-here,” he said, frowning.

“Thank you! Why don’t you go visit? I’m sure she’d love that! I promise it won’t take long!” Tohru suggested cheerily.

“Sure…” Kyo watched her a moment a longer and then moved into the living area. As he crossed the hall, Yuki was yawning and descending the stairs. Twitching, Kyo sucked in a breath and sat down with the others; Yuki looked like he was still asleep. That was not an easy fight.

“Yo, Aku! Wake up already!” he complained, partially hoping it’d wake up Yuki while he was at it.

“Yeah, yeah, I hear you,” Kuma mumbled, shaking themself where they sat. “I know I said I’d be okay to visit, but…”

“Do you need more sleep? You could probably ask Shigure to borrow his bed,” Hinata suggested, despite her own reservations about the scenario.

“Mmm… nah. Too troublesome!” laughed the streaky-haired Soma. “Ah, Kyo, Yuki! Wow, this is unreal!”

“What of it, brat?” Kyo growled, his lips drawn back with effort.

“I didn’t exactly tell Teddy what we were going to do; they’re discovering all this on their own,” Hinata remarked with a shrug. “Didn’t want to get their hopes up if it was all a fabrication by the mutt.”

“I’m surprised you found the time to visit,” admitted Yuki with another smaller yawn. “Aren’t you busy with work?” He didn’t honestly know Hinata that well, but as a youth the redhead had kept as busy as possible—surely she hadn’t slowed down in the time since she’d left the estate.

“My shifts are mostly towards the evenings right now.”

“I work too!” Kuma shared, raising their hand above their head. “It’s not glamorous, but I can buy myself one or two things now.”

Hinata leaned over and roughed up their hair affectionately. “Yep, you’re doing good.”

Kyo and Yuki stared wide-eyed; Kuma was laughing, a free, happy sound that had been only done in secrecy before. Hinata too looked happier than their blurred memories suggested. The two guests seemed aware of the sudden awkward silence looming and settled down. The four young Somas were faced with a particularly strange feeling that none quite knew how to address: they were all new people. People in the process of changing in ways they hadn’t predicted as children. And now, suddenly, they were face to face once more.

“Breakfast is ready!” Tohru declared, entering the room with a large serving tray in her hands. She leaned down, setting the food atop the low table before everyone. Hinata smiled, but the other guest, “Aku”, grew pale at the offering.

“Oh, um… Kuma-kun, is it?” Tohru asked, startled. “Are you feeling all right?”

“Um… ah…”

From down the hall, Shigure called, “Ah, Aku-chan, won’t you come in here for a moment?”

“Y-yes, Uncle Shigure!” Hurriedly, Aku scrambled onto their feet and disappeared into Shigure’s study.

Shaking her head, Hinata said, “My apologies, Tohru. Teddy doesn’t like eating with others.”

“Ah?!” Tohru covered her mouth with her hands. Had she upset one of their guests without realizing?!

The curly-haired Soma offered an apologetic smile to the girl. “They… are most uncomfortable in that setting, I think. If it doesn’t trouble you, I can bring them a serving.”

“Oh, no, I’ll do it! I have to apologize!”

Hinata scowled. “Just…”

Kyo cocked his head to the side to give Tohru a look. “How about you just bring a small helping to Aku without the apology? They’re not the best at social cues.”

“O-okay! Right! Mission accepted!” Tohru nodded fiercely, dished a small amount onto a plate and whisked it away into Shigure’s study.

“She’s… energetic,” Hinata observed tactfully.

“Honda-san always tries her best,” Yuki said, serving himself. “It is quite admirable.”

“Mm. Must be nice, having that sort of energy.”

“Why are you here, anyway?” Kyo asked once more, popping a bit of egg into his mouth.

“No clue. Shigure wants something, I imagine.”

Yuki sighed heavily. “ _Great_ …” He wasn’t sure how much trouble that man could stir up by inviting these two over, but the man was _always_ up to something. Was it (family) business or pleasure this time?

~~~

“Thank you, um, Honda-san?” Kuma said, attempting to stay calm as the brunette handed them their plate.

“Take your time! I’ll clean up once you’re done!” Tohru declared, flashing a bright smile at her guest and fleeing the scene before she could potentially rattle Kuma even more.

Shigure chuckled from his desk. Looking over his glasses, he said, “Well, go ahead and eat, Aku-chan.”

Licking their lips, Kuma looked from their plate to Shigure and Mitsuru across the small room. “You won’t…?”

“I won’t,” Shigure sang back, twirling a finger through the air.

“Is Mit-chan going to be okay?” Kuma wondered, taking a bite of their eggs. The exasperated editor was weeping tears of joy at Shigure’s side.

“The chapters! I have the chapters,” she declared repeatedly, as if only the power of her mantra was materializing the papers in question—and it could very well be the case, knowing Shigure.

Kuma smiled. Yes, this sort of mood was much more acceptable. Shigure didn’t make them feel out of place, ever! This wasn’t like it was back then… “Thanks for inviting us, Uncle. Seems like a party over here!”

“Ah, about that! I actually called you over for a reason,” Shigure admitted with a devious smile. “I’d like to talk you into doing something… a bit _major_ , if I may…”


	2. The Gift of Happiness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shigure's made an exciting offer to Kuma, but Hinata is more than aware of the consequences of accepting Shigure's assistance. Still, the old pervert had some interesting gossip to share with the outcast, and Hinata will always do what he has to to help his chosen family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another post, woo! I'm on a roll. Anyway, if you've read into this this far and you're NOT Chibi, gasp! I didn't expect anyone else to hold an interest. I'm still nervous as all hell about posting an OC-centric story of any kind, gift or no. I'm sick currently but I'm PRETTY sure I caught any errors in this chapter. More Somas soon soon, I promise! Cheers~

Eggs were not usually so intimidating for Kuma, but Tohru Honda apparently put such a great deal of effort in what _should be_ a safe, simple meal’s preparation that… well… Kuma couldn’t help but stare at their plate.

They’d never tasted scrambled eggs that tasted like _that_ before, had they?

“Hm? Is something wrong, Aku-chan?” Shigure asked, turning in his seat. Mitsuru had silently stabbed him in the shoulder with her finger, a rare gesture of force directly upon the author, with the intention of eliciting his attention. The editor was familiar enough with the young Soma to know they needed a Shigure-ism, even if for the life of her Mitsuru didn’t see any wisdom in the man’s words. Popular writer he may be, but a good person he most definitely was _not_.

And yet, he’d accumulated a house-full of young, impressionable teenagers and the house’s conditions were far, _far_ more livable than she’d ever seen. But who was truly the good influence in this scenario, Shigure or the kids?

If anything, she’d have to place her money on their live-in guest, Tohru Honda. But she kept all this to herself, because more than anything, she never wanted to be here longer than necessary. Shigure was a devil, an outright demonic presence, and he loved to torture her. It was only with respect to the sob story Shigure had shared of Kuma’s upbringing that Mitsuru assisted the poor thing, at the expense of Mitsuru having Shigure’s shoddy attention. The child needed help.

“Do you need Mit-chan to leave, Aku-chan?” Shigure wondered, casting a small glance to his mishka-haired editor.

“It… it’s not that… I just… Can you eat this?”

Ah, so that’s what it was. His smile turning warm, Shigure said, “Aku-chan. You deserve lovingly-prepared meals just as much as the next person. It’s simple enough, isn’t it? Try to eat half of it. If you can manage that, I’ll eat the rest. You’ll never be able to help yourself if you don’t start eating more, and eggs are good nutrition. And besides, if you can eat old eggs from the trash, then you can certainly handle fresh eggs from my kitchen,” he added with a chuckle and a broad shrug of his arms.

Mitsuru gawked at the devil’s gall, but Kuma didn’t seem to mind. “Last I knew, your kitchen _was_ the trash,” they muttered. But the jab did nothing to hide the corners of their lips turning upwards, and slowly, carefully, they returned to taking little bites of their eggs.

Leaning into Shigure’s ear, Mitsuru whispered, “You manipulate too much.”

“A little manipulation doesn’t hurt much,” he whispered back with a grin. “Hurts less than skipping another meal, anyway.”

~~~

There were always four people sitting at the table, but the line-up had been slightly altered this morning. Tohru found herself sitting at the end closest to the television, with Yuki to her left, Kyo to her right, and Hinata across from her in Shigure’s place. She hadn’t planned on staring at the exotic redhead, really! She didn’t even know she was doing it, until the back of Kyo’s fist gently rapped her in the temple.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“A-ah! Oh my, I’m sorry! I just… your hair!” Tohru exclaimed.

“My appearance greatly favors my mother,” explained Hinata, lightly shrugging a shoulder. “It’s fine; you’re not the most unwanted attention I’ve had to deal with.”

“Don’t encourage her,” Kyo muttered under his breath, shaking his head.

Blushing, Tohru finished off the last bite on her plate and looked to Yuki. “Um, Soma-kun, are you sure you had enough? You’re eating slower than normal…”

“I am fine, Honda-san. I’m just thinking.” The grey-haired teen resumed eating, eyes closed. The eggs were soft and fluffy as always, not the strange mixture of crispy, rubbery, and runny that he and Shigure had attempted on occasion, before Tohru had wandered into their life. Food these days was meant to be savored—thus making Yuki close to last, if not actually the last person to leave the table, especially during dinners.

Kyo had eaten his first plateful of eggs quickly before helping himself to a second serving. Eggs were good protein, and useful in the event he skipped a meal later on or did some training or…

Gah, he knew that feeling. Orange eyes cutting to the right, they connected with Hinata’s steely blue ones. “What?” he said, a little too gruffly, but it was habit! He was used to catching Yuki’s unwanted stare these days. Not that Hinata’s stare was unwanted, just… Why the hell would she be staring at him stuff his face?

“Planning on going train?”

Cheeks burning, Kyo glared down at his plate as if it were to blame for the position he found himself in. “Uh, yeah. Right. Why?”

Hinata, genuinely curious, set her plate aside. “Do you go to the dojo on your free days?”

“Shishou isn’t there right now,” Kyo admitted with a scowl. “No point. I can do the same solo routines here until he comes back.”

“Could I watch?”

Kyo practically levitated from his seat as he turned to look at Hinata, staring at her with an absolutely incredulous expression. “Why the hell would you want to do _that_?”

“You didn’t used to mind,” she pointed out, taken aback. “I’m nowhere near skilled enough to spar with you, but I can cheer you on just fine.”

Kyo was flustered; he didn’t know how to react to this at all! When Yuki made him flustered, he’d instantly jump on the assault. But Hinata was something else entirely! As the copper-haired teen struggled with his lead tongue, Tohru clapped her hands together.

“That sounds amazing! It’d be just like old times, right? I love it when Uo-chan and Hana-chan and I revisit our favorite activities, even if it’s a little embarrassing at first. While they’re doing that, why don’t we check the secret base, Soma-kun?”

“That sounds perfect, Honda-san,” Yuki agreed, spearing another bit of yellow fluff. “Just a warning: it might be a bit arduous this morning; it hasn’t rained recently and I’d like to make sure it is well-watered.”

“Oh?” Hinata asked, looking to the cursed rat.

“Eh, nevermind _him_ ; he hasn’t grown out of things like that,” Kyo grumbled, rolling his eyes. “Still plays games.”

“Ah, Kyo-kun, games can be pretty fun! I mean, _I_ think so! But they’re not for everyone!” Tohru said, her anxious tone rising with each word.

Hinata wondered how this kind girl’s braids hadn’t popped off her head with how much steam burst from her ears around the two stubborn males. Giving Tohru her best slow smile, Hinata gestured to the dishes. “Honda, I think we’re done with breakfast.”

“Ah! Okay! Soma-kun, I’ll be back in a moment, I’ll do the dishes quickly!”

“Hey! Don’t break anything again,” Kyo called after her, watching as she fumbled the stack of plates as one of her socked feet slipped out from under her. Catching herself, the brunette cheered and disappeared into the kitchen proper.

“Why don’t you disappear instead of bothering Honda-san?” Yuki purred, his eyes hooded. “It’d be a pleasure to have you out of my sight.”

“I have just as much a right to be here as you do, damned rat!”

“Do you really? I must have missed that circulation.”

“Do you want to go?” Kyo spat, jumping to his feet with ease. “I’ll make you eat Shigure’s junk mail!”

“I just finished eating, stupid, I’m not hungry.”

“Ugh, I have _had_ it with you!” Kyo shouted, balling his hands into fists.

Yuki climbed to his feet. “Do you _really_ wish to embarrass yourself further in front of Hinata, stupid cat?”

“I… That doesn’t matter! You’re just avoiding—”

“I’m _avoiding_ trouncing you in front of someone who—for _some_ strange reason—cares about you, as foreign as that concept may be to you.”

Hinata climbed to his feet. With a soft growl, he reached out and swatted both males just a bit forcefully with the backs of his hands. “Knock it the fuck off before I treat you like one of my more disgraceful customers.”

Both Yuki and Kyo stood rigid, stunned. Hinata’s tone of voice had changed, no longer lilting and playful. Yuki had never heard this voice before, but Kyo had. Slowly, stiffly, Yuki broke free of the trance to straighten his clothes and let loose a sigh. “I apologize, Hinata.”

“I don’t want your damn apologies. Just knock it off.”

Kyo was not so easy to reset; he gritted his teeth, his fists clenching and slackening at his sides. His eyes were burning hot. He couldn’t bring himself to lash out at Hinata, but he was interfering with Kyo’s gambit! If he actually _did_ care about Kyo, wouldn’t that be the _last_ thing he did?

Hinata folded his arms over his chest and tilted his head, staring pointedly at the agitated teen. He didn’t want to discipline Kyo, especially not on their reunion of all days… So he opted for a simple, silent stare, and waited for his move.

“Bathroom,” Kyo ground out finally, gritting his teeth and stomping off down the hall.

 _This… this is still nothing like it used to be_ , Hinata mused, staring after the boy. It used to be absolutely unbearable. The pair of warring cursed Zodiacs would not have stopped just because of Hinata.

“Why do you insist on making that idiot feel like he has a chance?” Yuki asked, his tone flat. “You _know_.”

“I do. I know a lot of what went down, back then. But you’re nearly a goddamned adult; try acting like one.”

There it was, still more proof at how much things were changing: Yuki looked _openly_ annoyed. Since when could he express any emotion at all, Hinata wondered? “So you’ll just accuse _me_ of inappropriate behavior?” he demanded softly, looking away.

“No. Kyo isn’t any better,” Hinata confessed. “But it’s not in me to help _you_. You’ve got enough help as it is.”

Yuki blinked. There was that blunt honesty rearing its ugly head. Yuki didn’t know Hinata _too_ well over the years, but he had interacted with him enough to know that one side of Hinata was fairly… well, short. He wasn’t nearly as quick to catch on with the discrepancies as Kyo was, but… perhaps he noticed it more now that he was at liberty to do so? Or was it not so obvious, back at the estate?

The bathroom door slid shut, and a padding footfall returned to the living area. Scratching his stomach, Kyo sighed and sat back down. “Are you sure you want to go and watch me in that dress?” Kyo wondered. “There’s nothing clean for you to sit on out there.”

“A little dirt is nothing compared to what’s gotten on it some nights,” Hinata admitted with a smirk. “You’re much more interesting than _that_ squabble.”

“Shouldn’t you two be off then?” Yuki found himself saying, quite without realizing it. He blinked. He couldn’t help it; Hinata’s open playfulness with Kyo made him nauseous.

“I’m more than freakin’ ready to have Kyo show me his moves, but I’d like to wait for Teddy to finish eating and come back out here. Don’t want to disappear on them without a word,” Hinata admitted, glancing towards the hall. “They’d get up to no good in a heartbeat.”

“Pretty sure _you’re_ up to no good too, Hinata,” Kyo said pointedly, one corner of his mouth tugged high.

With a shrug, Hinata smiled slyly. “What can I say, they rubbed off on me. I’ll gladly meet your expectations today, kitty cat.”

Yuki held in a groan. Kyo could barely handle the older Soma’s mannerisms, immediately flushing with embarrassment, much to Hinata’s delight if that laughter was anything to go by. Yuki felt entirely too out of place; it wasn’t right. He needed his private sanctuary. _Please hurry, Honda-san. I don’t know how much more I can stomach…_

~~~

For several minutes, Shigure and Mitsuru discussed the next batch of chapters, their deadlines, and what Mitsuru would do if he failed to meet said deadlines. All very standard contractual discussions, as far as Shigure was concerned. He’d yet to bore of this “career” game he was playing, and Mitsuru was determined not to let him purposely fail. A fun tug-of-war, something any good dog loved to play.

Kuma was kicking their legs excitedly from their seat, staring at the back of their cousin. “Ah, Uncle Shigure? I’m done.”

“Okay, hand me the rest,” Shigure replied, stretching his hand behind him and awaiting the weight of the plate.

“Um. No. I ate it all…”

“And your stomach feels okay?”

“I think so. It was mostly egg, right?”

“Probably? Probably. If not, you know where the lavatory is. Anyway, why don’t you bring your nice and empty plate to our dear Tohru? You should spend some time with the boys too, of course. You haven’t seen either of them in ages.”

“A-ah! Okay, Uncle Shigure.” With a slight scramble of arms and legs, Kuma fled the room, plate in hand.

Removing his glasses from his nose, Shigure sighed whimsically. “Is that it for today, Mit-chan? I’d like to spend more time with my beloved family, if that’s all right with you. You’ll note that I did not call you and disappear, abandoning you with my charges to do anything so nice as going out to eat an early breakfast at a café. And believe me, I especially wanted to this morning. I don’t often crave coffee and crêpes.”

Mitsuru bit her tongue before she mocked the very idea of Shigure being interested in anything like the pristine familial love of his cousins. She knew he was up to something—it just happened to involve his cousins this morning, rather than her. She’d take the de facto win in this case; she had the chapters, after all. “Yes, yes! _Thank you_ , sensei! I’ll be going right away!” Then she too, scrambled out his office. She would not overstay her welcome. It wasn’t that she didn’t like her client, but… well, she didn’t like her client. Or, at least, his mind games!

Shigure climbled to his feet and leaned against his door frame, watching as the energetic editor fled his home back to her awaiting car. He never had to worry about his manuscripts; she was obsessively good about handling his work. It was likely not the best career choice for poor Mitsuru, but she was dedicated to a fault.

When Kuma sped down the hall into the kitchen to deposit their dishes, Hinata frowned. Kuma was naturally fairly energetic, but it came and went in tangled bursts. They were still fairly damaged from before they moved in together…

“Ah, Tohru? Can I call you Tohru?” Kuma wondered, tilting their head to the side as they gently placed their dishes in the sink. “Can I help with the dishes?”

The cheerful brunette flailed her arms in Kuma’s face. “Nonono! I mean, of _course_ you can call me Tohru! But no to the dishes. It’s fine! Go sit with the others. I mean, if you _want_ to, go sit with them! I’ll be right back, I promise. I’m an expert at dishes!” she declared, pumping her sudsy fist in the air.

Snapping a salute in return, Kuma turned and dove into the living area, much to Yuki’s discomfort. This morning was proving to be fairly uncomfortable for him, and it had only just begun. He knew Hinata wasn’t necessarily on his side, but Kuma… was Kuma ever on _anyone’s_ side? _It’d be best if I just rely on Tohru_ , he reasoned. Kuma was too… too _Aku_.

Grinning toothily, the streaky-haired teen snuggled next to Hinata. The well-dressed redhead quirked an eyebrow. Kuma was shivering with excitement. Whatever the damn mutt had said in that office, it’d riled them up something fierce. With a heavy sigh, he patted Kuma on their skull. “Oh, to be young again,” Hinata said whimsically, rolling his eyes at the other two. “You’re awfully handsy this morning, Teddy.”

“I’m really happy! Like, really, _really_ happy! If I don’t hold onto you I’ll shoot up through the rest of the house and rocket into the sky and never come down!”

 _Oh yes. Definitely riled up._ “So long as you don’t start groping me, I think I can deal,” Hinata remarked.

Kyo couldn’t help but smirk. _Looks like Aku got in good with Hinata._ The two cousins were also frequent guests of Kazuma Soma’s dojo at the estate, but Kyo hadn’t seen them interact directly much in those days. Meanwhile, there was obvious discomfort coming from Yuki’s side of the table, and that was fine by him! “We gonna go or what?” he asked the redhead, grinning.

“I don’t see why—”

“Oh, Hina-chan?” Shigure called. “Could you come here for a moment?”

“Ah, hold that thought?” Hinata groaned, prying Kuma free of their arm and climbing to his feet. “I promise, if that damn mutt takes too long, I’ll just knock him out and come back to you.”

“Right-o!” Kuma replied, saluting.

“Guess that’s fine… not like he wouldn’t deserve it by now.”

“Just for existing!” Kuma threw in, earning another smirk from Kyo.

Hinata walked into Shigure’s study, ready to get down to the meat and gravy of the sudden invitation. “Well? Ready to confess your sins?”

“Why I _never_! Why would you suspect little old me?” Shigure cried.

Hinata raised an eyebrow, folding his hands over his chest. “I shouldn’t need to warn you. I know you’re observant.”

“Yes, yes, I can see just by your stance,” Shigure admitted with a chuckle. Hinata was never very patient when they shifted spectrum this way. A curiosity, but Shigure left it alone. “I heard what you did for Aku-chan; I must admit, I’m impressed. None of the Zodiac would be so moved as to outright _attack_ Akito!”

“I defended myself,” Hinata returned with a scowl. “Just tell me what you want, Shigure. Play your games another time; I have little patience for this subject.”

Shigure removed his glasses and set them aside. “Fine, fine. I want Aku-chan to… well, have some _normalcy_ in their life.”

“They sleep in a bed and have what warm food they can hold down every night. They work and earn a paycheck. They don’t want anything else right now.” Hinata’s voice had a certain growl to it. He was rather protective of his self-designated charge.

“Are you so certain? I talked to Aku-chan about it, and they actually seemed, oh, _excited_ by the idea. I hadn’t seen the light in their eyes that bright in ages!”

Sighing, Hinata glanced to the spare seat. He didn’t want to come across as getting comfortable, but he also needed the distance from Shigure, lest he punch him for meddling. “What seed did you plant now?”

With a show of teeth, Shigure admitted, “I merely suggested that if they wanted to attend high school, they should! Then they’d get to see their beloved Haru and Momiji every day.”

“Uh-huh. You know they can’t afford that. They haven’t had a stipend or an account for a while now. They had a hard enough time finding the job they have, and it doesn’t provide very much.”

“Well, as you know, all the Zodiac have their bank accounts… and the insiders tend to be provided for… and I have my hard work’s precious meager earnings…”

Hinata blinked. “You’ll pay?”

The dark-haired mutt’s brow knitted. “Is it truly so hard to believe I just want to see them happy again?”

“Yes.”

Throwing his hands in the air, Shigure chuckled. “Ever the cruel one! But I won’t hold your shortcomings against _them_ , Hina-chan. I _will_ pay their schooling, but I was wondering, since you do correspondence courses, would you like to assist me in helping Aku-chan study for the entrance exam?”

Silence. Hinata was deep in thought. There were… _complications_ in Kuma attending high school, both Shigure and he knew full well. As a Soma, _especially_ as a Zodiac-cursed living off-compound, Shigure’s actions and expenses needed to be approved, which, knowing the head of the family… meant Kuma would have to return to the main house, however briefly. Did Kuma understand that? The redhead wasn’t certain. Finally, grudgingly, Hinata asked, “Would you please give me enough time to discuss it with Teddy first? You wound them up tight with this.”

“Naturally. Take today to mull it over and discuss. I’d like to call the estate tonight.”

And there it was, that admission. If Kuma accepted Soma money, Kuma would be tied to the family again—and that thread was never a loose one.

~~~

Hinata exited Shigure’s office after a few more choice words to find Kyo and Kuma sitting at the table, arguing playfully. He stood in the doorway of the office, wanting to observe the pair unnoticed. Kuma was genuinely smiling—and, thankfully, so was Kyo. It wasn’t unheard of; Hinata had come to care for both Somas as a child, spending time with them and a few others at the dojo. The dojo was a safe haven for several of the Soma children growing up, but most particularly Kyo, who lived there as an adopted child of Kazuma Soma. The previously-neglected and traumatized kitten was almost always smiling and laughing there; he absolutely fell in love with that life. _Maybe… with Shishou being gone, our being here is helping?_ Hinata wondered, watching the pair. The boy was obviously not doing terribly in Shigure’s home, but he still had a long ways to go.

Shigure had explained a little of Kyo’s presence in his home for Hinata, in exchange for troubling him over Kuma. It had irked Hinata for a moment; the dog obviously knew Hinata’s soft spots well, had even somewhat used it against him… but, for now, Hinata cooperated. He couldn’t help it. He loved his family of outcasts, and whatever he could do for them, he would. He’d help them escape that dark, secretive world they all came from.

The frightening thing, Hinata knew, was that there was no erasing the stain from any of them, not fully. Not even with one of their cousins’ special skill. The cursed Somas of the Zodiac were damned until the curse was lifted. But, curiously, Shigure seemed to think it was possible, now more than ever. And, while Hinata hardly trusted the deviant mutt, he knew Shigure had some of the most intimate knowledge of the curse and was, by nature, sensitive to its workings. There was reason to hope.

Hinata worked in the customer service industry; he was quite skilled at it. He knew he wanted to be a caretaker early on, deep down. Fix those bruises and scars. God knew Kyo had plenty.

“Ah, Hina-chan! You ready? Kyo’s gonna show me some moves!” Kuma declared, spying the redhead and waving an arm excitedly.

Kyo looked over as well, sharing that little smirk of his with both of his guests. “You know you’ll just end up on your ass in the dirt again, Aku!”

“Oi, let’s make it happen then, yeah?” Hinata said, smiling and walking over. The two redheads laughed at Kuma, and Kuma laughed back.

For now, laughter. And, maybe, once the darkness passed, there would be more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Interested in checking out my original writing or spying on my three furbabbies’ antics? You can find us [here](http://nikkitapierrottie.com/)!

**Author's Note:**

> Interested in chatting with me and other lost souls? Hit us up at my discord server [here](https://discord.gg/3TMx3vs)!


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